The Treaty With China Its Provisions Explained

Mark Twain never visited China and his cumulative writings on the subject of the Chinese and anti-imperialism have flown under the radar of all but the most determined Twain scholars.In "The Treaty with China: Its Provisions Explained" written in 1868, Mark Twain makes very explicit comparisons of racism toward the Chinese and African Americans. Twain's preoccupations with China and the issues of race, politics and culture were directly analogous to those evident in his writings regarding anti-imperialism and racial discrimination in his own country.

Mark Twain never visited China and his cumulative writings on the subject of the Chinese and anti-imperialism have flown under the radar of all but the most determined Twain scholars.In "The Treaty with China: Its Provisions Explained" written in 1868, Mark Twain makes very explicit comparisons of racism toward the Chinese and African Americans. Twain's preoccupations with China and the issues of race, politics and culture were directly analogous to those evident in his writings regarding anti-imperialism and racial discrimination in his own country.

The Treaty With China, its Provisions ExplainedNewYorkTribune,Tuesday,August28,1868EveryonehasreadthetreatywhichhasjustbeenconcludedbetweentheUnitedStatesandChina.Everyonehasreadit,butinitthereareexpressionswhichnoteveryoneunderstands.Thereareclauseswhichseemvague,otherclauseswhichseemalmostunnecessary,andstillotherswhichbeartheflavorof"surplusage,"tospeakinlegalphrase.Themostcarefulreadingofthedocumentwillleavetheseimpressions--thatis,unlessonecomprehendsthepastandpresentconditionofforeignintercoursewithChina--inwhichcaseitwillbeseenatoncethatthereisnowordinthetreatywithoutameaning,andnoclauseinitbutwasdictatedbyapresentneedorawisepolicylookingtothefuture.Itwillinterestmanyofyourreaderstoknowwhythis,that,andtheotherprovisionwasincorporatedinthetreaty;itwillinterestotherstoknowinwhatmannerandtowhatextentthetreatywillaffectourexistingrelationswithChina.Apartfromitsgraveimportance,thesubjectisreallyasentertainingasanyIknowofand--askingpardonforthepresumption--Idesiretowriteafewparagraphsuponit.WemadeatreatywithChinain1858;Mr.Burlingame'snewtreatyisanadditiontothatone,andanamplificationofitspowers.Thefirstarticleofthisnewtreatyreadsasfollows:ARTICLEI.HisMajesty,theEmperorofChina,beingoftheopinionthatinmakingconcessionstothecitizensorsubjectsofforeignPowersoftheprivilegeofresidingoncertaintractsofland,orresortingtocertainwatersofthatEmpireforthepurposesoftrade,hehasbynomeansrelinquishedhisrightofeminentdomainordominionoverthesaidlandandwaters,herebyagreesthatnosuchconcessionorgrantshallbeconstruedtogivetoanyPowerorpartywhichmaybeatwarwithorhostiletotheUnitedStatestherighttoattackthecitizensoftheUnitedStatesortheirpropertywithinthesaidlandsorwaters;andtheUnitedStates,forthemselves,herebyagreetoabstainfromoffensivelyattackingthecitizensorsubjectsofanyPowerorpartyortheirpropertywithwhichtheymaybeatwaronanysuchtractoflandorwatersofthesaidEmpire;butnothinginthisarticleshallbeconstruedtopreventtheUnitedStatesfromresistinganattackbyanyhostilePowerorpartyupontheircitizensortheirproperty.ItisfurtheragreedthatifanyrightorinterestinanytractoflandinChinahasbeenorshallhereafterbegrantedbytheGovernmentofChinatotheUnitedStatesortheircitizensforpurposesoftradeorcommerce,thatgrantshallinnoeventbeconstruedtodivesttheChineseauthoritiesoftheirrightofjurisdictionoverpersonsandpropertywithinsaidtractofland,exceptsofarasthatrightmayhavebeenexpresslyrelinquishedbytreaty.InornearoneortwoofthecitiesofChinatheEmperorhassetapartcertaintractsoflandforoccupationbyforeigners.Theforeignersresidinguponthesetractscreatecourtsofjustice,organizepoliceforces,andgovernthemselvesbylawsoftheirownframing.Theylevyandcollecttaxes,theypavetheirstreets,theylightthemwithgas.Thesecommunities,throughliberalityofChina,aresoindependentandsounshackledthattheyhavealltheseemingofcolonies--insomuchthatthejurisdictionofChinaoverthemwasin